The custom motorcycle scene can often feel not very “custom,” with so many bikes looking like the same versions of one another. But every once in a while, we come across one that is so different or better, it stops us dead in our tracks. Such is the case with this Revival Cycles BMW Landspeeder.
I guess I should start by saying normally, I hate posting stories about custom bikes unless actually riding them is at the top of the priorities list. However, this is a weird bike with an unusual story, so I gave it a pass.
You see, Revival, along with four other builders including Max Hazan (one of my favorites), was hired to build bikes for an exhibit by an unnamed client. With the desire to one-up folks like Hazan and budget as their one and only restriction, the Revival boys were in.
One of the reasons I’ve always liked the guys at Revival is that they too don’t like to just build show pieces, meant only to be gawked at and never ridden. So much so that their team actually felt so uncomfortable about this project that they had to make a compromise to get everyone on board. They’d build the show bike, but they’d also build a second bike. A race bike. Same geometry, suspension, and wheel sizes. And a supercharger.
The Revival BMW Landspeeder will make only one public appearance this year, at the Handbuilt Motorcycle Show in Austin, Texas this April during MotoGP weekend.
Huge thanks to the guys over at BikeEXIF for sharing this one with us. You can read more about this build or see many more beautiful customs on their site. You can also see a photo gallery of this build on Revival’s site.
Editor’s note: It seems I assumed to much when I thought people would know what a land speed bike is, but the amount of comments about how difficult this would be to ride proved me wrong. These bikes were not meant to ride around town or around a race track. They were meant to set land speed records, which does not require turning or stopping quickly.
Photo: Revival Cycles
Contact the author at sean.macdonald@jalopnik.com. Follow Lanesplitter onFacebook and Twitter.